The Origin of the Marauders Map
by ede-insnity
Summary: The story basically tells of how the Marauders Map came to, and it had a little bit of insight as to how Lily and James fell in love. This is only chapter 1.
1. Default Chapter

It was dark and stormy. Lightning was flashing and thunder boomed in the distance. The late night had come upon the tower, sending many to sleep. However, there were four boys who could not do so. They sat, in four plush chairs, next to a roaring fire which was ablaze in Gryffindor common room.  
  
"All right Remus. All we have to do is sign it?" James pushed his glasses up and looked at his friend.  
  
"Yes. Just point at it and say the name. Remember, they have to be completely coded." Remus bit his finger, deep in thought.  
  
"HEY!" Shouted Sirius. "We're all Animagus!"  
  
"Shhhhhhhhh!" James smacked him upside the head.  
  
"Ow. Yeah" Sirius lowered his voice."So, lets use codenames with our animals?" He looked at the other three, waiting for a response.  
  
Peter jumped excitedly in his seat. "I get to be Rat-Man!" He grinned maliciously.   
  
Remus sighed. "Wormtail it is, then." He pointed at the map and said, "Wormtail." The name magically appeared at the bottom of the map.  
  
Peter opened his mouth in protest but stopped when Sirius sent him a nasty glance. James snickered and Remus looked around.  
  
"Okay then. Well, I turn to a Werewolf on the full moon, so my name should be Moony." He tapped the parchment and said, "Moony." They all watched as that name etched itself as well. "Okay. You two left."   
  
Peter was squirming in his chair and biting his lip. "Well, James turns into a stag." He said matter of factly.  
  
"No, really?" James rolled his eyes. "A stag? Peter, you don't think we know that?" Peter's pointly little nose twitched as he frowned.   
  
"Just trying to help."  
  
Sirius said, "Well, my name should be Padfoot." He said the name aloud and pointed at the parchment. All four leaned in and watched the name appear.  
  
"Remus, you are too smart." James said. "Anyway...I'm a stag. He-ey...I can call myself Horny." Sirius laughed strangely and Peter giggled.  
  
Remus sighed. "James, James."  
  
"Remus, Remus. Remmy Lupin." Sirius said. "What are those pointy things on a stags antlers called? Like...the.....pr...pro..."  
  
"Prongs?"  
  
"Yeah, those." Sirius pointed at the map. "Prongs." As the last name appeared they heard footsteps coming down the dormitory stairway.  
  
"Hide it!" James whispered. Remus snatched the map up and hid it in his robes. All four heads turned to the staircase to see a rather tired-looking Lily Evans coming sweeping down, nightrobes billowing.  
  
She turned her gaze to them. " I should've known...." She walked over to them and pulled up a chair. "I don't know if I want to know...but....I want to know. What are you 'men' doing up so late?" She tied her auburn hair back and stared pointedly at them.  
  
"We....er.." Peter stuttered. "Just....talking."  
  
"Can't friends stay up and chat, Lily?" Sirius kicked his feet up on a footstool and sat back, his hands behind his head.  
  
Lily tilted her head. "Well, when it's you four....who knows...."   
  
James stood up and squeezed in the chair next to her. "So..how you doin'?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Sirius muffled laughter.  
  
Lily pushed him away. "Stuff it." She took a handkerchief from her robe pocket and stuffed it in his mouth.  
  
"HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Sirius cackled most loudly. Remus smacked him in the head.  
  
"Belt up, you idiot!" Sirius rubbed his face.  
  
"Okay....I deserved that. And the one that James gave me. Right....,"He pointed to his arse, "Here." James's eyes widened and he lunged at Sirius, practically choking him.  
  
Remus and Lily laughed, Peter was laughing so hard he was crying.   
  
"Don't wet yourself, Wormy." Remus said to Peter. Peter bit his lip and tried to act cool in front of them.  
  
"I won't, Remus. I'm not a baby..." They all turned their gazes back to the brawl that was soon taking itself around the common room floor. Sirius was laughing loudly, and James could be heard cackling. Soon, Sirius had James in a tight spot. He was sitting on Jame's stomach, grinning as he stuffed the handkerchief back in his mouth.   
  
"Say Uncle." He grinned. James' eyes bulged out.   
  
"A canf tha unglo." He repeatedly smacked Sirius in the gut. "et uf!"  
  
Sirius, evidently taking pity on James, stood up and let him go. Lily was in hysterics, something that James winced slightly at.  
  
Between laughs, she said, "I'm glad I found out. I'll let you boys have your fun. Toodles." She walked back up to her dormitory, stifling laughter.  
  
James, having turned red and flushed, fell back into one of the squishy chairs. "Sirius, was that really necessary?"  
  
"Yes." He replied solemnly. "Yes, it really was."  
  
Remus, having recovered fastest, pulled the map out of his robe pocket and was fawning over it once more. "What should we call it?"  
  
Peter twiddled his thumbs quickly. "You mean, like, a group name for us? Something that we can put on the map?" Remus nodded. "Okay. How about..the Secret Group of Magical Mischief and Mayhem?" He smiled, but, to his dismay, no one else smiled back.  
  
Sirius took a seat next to Peter and slicked his hair back. "Mr. Pettigrew, is death an option that you've openly considered?" He pretended to push glasses up his nose.  
  
Narrowing his gaze, Peter slipped further down into the cushion. "..."  
  
Remus simply stared. "Well...I was thinking more along the lines of a Marauders Map. You know, it fits and all." He arched an eyebrow as the other three stared at him silently.  
  
Sirius looked around before looking back to Remus. "Remmy..if you don't mind...what is a marauder? Keep in mind, you're talking to three fairly intelligent fellows here, but who have extremely small learning capacity." He grinned.  
  
Remus exhaled deeply. "A marauder is like....a raider. A robber? Looter? Pick one. Basically, we raid the castle for hidden entrances and such, so, like I said before...it fits." The others nodded and Remus pointed his wand at the map which made the words 'Marauders Map' begin to etch themselves into the parchment slowly and in a very fancy script.   
  
James, who had finally recovered from his embarassment, stood up and yawned. "What say you fine folks to a bit of sleep?" The four boys crept slowly up the staircase up to their dormitory, where Gerald McCoven lay fast asleep.   
  
"Lucky to be him. He doesn't have a mischief-making rep. to keep intact." Sirius said as they passed Geralds four poster. "Gets to sleep." He yawned and fell on his bed, not bothering to close the curtains. Peter and Remus said good-night and fell asleep as well. James was left alone.  
  
He sat on his bed thinking. He thought about Lily and how much he cared for her. He also thought about his friends and how lucky he was to have them. Finally, he lay down and put his hands under the cool side of his pillow. They hit something silky feeling and he sat back up, tearing the pillow from the mattress.  
  
"My cloak! I'd forgotten where I put you," He whispered as the light silver material cascaded onto his lap. He opened his curtains to find the others curtains, except Sirius's, closed. James quickly put the cloak on as he was not tired and felt that a late night stroll around the castle was exactly what he needed.  
  
He opened the portrait hole and climbed out quietly.  
  
"Who's there?" Asked the Irish-accented portrait man, Patrick S. O'Malley. "Who's sneaking around at this hour?" James watched as the portrait scanned the hall. He stood in one place very still until Paddy finally gave up and closed his eyes again. James waited until long locks of red hair fell over the portraits eyes before he finally whisked down the hall.  
  
James wandered down the many hallways careful not to run into any teachers patrolling or suits of armour, which were said to come alive and tattle on students out of bed. He kept his breathing low and his eyes focused on what lay ahead.  
  



	2. Marauders Map Part 2: The Nightmare

And now, for the second part of the Marauders! Fanfare music plays - 

We left off with....

James wandered down the many hallways careful not to run into any teachers patrolling or suits of armour, which were said to come alive and tattle on students out of bed. He kept his breathing low and his eyes focused on what lay ahead.

As he was going down the third floor staircase, he saw something moving. Quieting his footsteps and moving as slow as Peter Pettigrew's mind, James made his way to the bottom of the stairwell, only to find himself cloak to face with none other than Severus Snape. As Snape was about two centimeters from James, James had to keept it cool. He tried ever so hard not to laugh at the confused expression upon his archrivals face, but with no luck.  
"HAHAHAHA! Snivellus!" James tore the cloak off himself.  
"AHHHHHH!" Snape squealed and fell backwards onto the floor. His greasy hair was swooped low over his face, and all that James could see now was his great hooked nose.  
"Scared ya, didn't I? Snivellus Snape, what ARE you doing up so late?" James smiled at the look of hatred on Snape's face as his dark glittery eyes burned into Jame's own.  
"I had to use the bathroom." Snape replied, stiffly. "But what are YOU doing up at this unholy hour?" Snape got up and pushed his hair out of his eyes.  
"I...was..thinking." James answred, perhaps not as coolly as he had wished. "Hey wait..if you were going to the bathroom, why didn't you use the one on the first floor? Near your..DUNGEON." James crossed his arms and looked at Snape.  
Snape, staring hard at him with a look of extreme loathing, said most calmly, "Is it a problem to you where I use the facilities"  
James, having such a hatred for Snape, growled and tore out his wand. "Why don't you just go back to your dungeon now and leave me in peace"  
"Now I'm supposed to listen to James Potter, the perfect Quidditch player, the boy who has it all?" Being as angry as James, he swiftly took out his own wand and held it at the ready. "You say the words, Potter, and I swear I'll"  
Suddenly, there came a rather drowsy voice. "Who is it? What's going on out here?" Both James and Severus turned towards the voice, and watched as Headmaster Dumbledore came into view. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Snape. Might I inquire as to why you are out of bed during this wee hour of the morning?" He clamped his hands on their shoulders and stood between them.  
"Well, I.." They said at the same time.  
Dumbledore looked at the two of them with rather tired eyes. "Please, do not leave the dormitories this late again. It is dangerous to do so." He nodded and then swept away, his nightrobes billowing behind him.  
"Next time, Snape." James picked his cloak up off the floor and walked away.  
"You'll what?" Snape asked. "Going to have your little friends beat me up? Or maybe that Mudblood Evans? Don't you fancy her? Too bad she's got her eyes set on your buddy, Remus"  
James stopped in his tracks. "Don't you ever call her a Mudblood again!" His eyes blazed with fury. "And she does not love Remus"  
Snape laughed. "That made you mad, didn't it? Guess you don't like when you get dished back what you serve." He narrowed his eyes. James had a scowl on his face. He shook his head and walked off into the dark.  
"Who does he think he is..insulting me like that. How dare that lowlife piece of Slytherin-" And then, for the second time that evening, James came face to face with someone. "Remus"  
"James?" Remus looked at him crookedly. "I woke up and found you weren't up in the dormitory, so I came to have a looksee..Mind telling a friend why you're out and about...and..rather frustrated"  
James eyed him. "Couldn't sleep. Then I met up with Snivellus, which didn't exactly help me that much." He yawned. "I'm really tired. I think I can go to sleep now." Remus nodded and they walked back up to Gryffindor Tower.  
Since he was actually very tired, James fell right asleep as soon as he hit the pillow.

He was floating. Floating almost like a bird, a sensation James had never had before, as he isn't the such. Over Hogwarts, past Hogsmeade, across the rivers and gulleys, and scraping the rooftops in London he went. It was night, but he could see fairly well, almost as if there was a dim light showing him the pathway. James felt himself getting heavier, and he started to fall towards the ground. He landed quite softly in front of a rather modest-looking flat on the outskirts of London. Looking up, he saw that the clouds were beginning to darken. Confused, he walked up to the front door and prepared to knock. However, the door swung open as if inviting him inside. He stepped gingerly onto the carpeting and found himself in a most pleasant room. Very warm and comfy. There were plush green chairs and a roraing fire going. As he made his way to the stairwell, his eye caught a piece of parchment on the floor. Bending over and picking it up, James discovered it to be rather important-looking. Boldface letters at the top of the parchemnt read: Mr. and Mrs. James Potter; Members of the Order.  
Then, a figure whisked by him and went up the stairs. All James saw was a mass of dark hair and the bottoms of the mans shoes. Interested, he put the paper on the banister and followed the man, careful to be quiet.  
The top floor revealed a hallway and five doors on either side of it. All of them were closed except one, which was open enough to emit a soft orange glow. James plodded on closer and stuck his face into the doorway. He placed a freezing cold hand on the wall to brace himself.  
Inside, he could hear low whispers which sounded important. Then, a baby started to cry.  
'There there, Harry. Don't cry now. Mum and dad are here for you.' Came a woman's voice, very soft and beautiful. 'Dear, what shall we do with him? He can't possibly stay here'  
Then, a male voice. 'There isn't time. We've been warned by Albus. We knew..' The baby continued to cry, though softer. James peered in, but was only able to for a second before he felt a cold breeze behind him. A rather high-pitched voice was speaking into his ear.  
'Watch now.' James looked around for a sign of the voice but saw no one. Then, he heard a crash.  
'Voldemort!' Cried the man. 'I swear I'll.....you can never have him. You have to get through me, first!' Frightened, James burst through the door with his own wand at the ready. 'Avada..' James felt a chill down his spine. 'Kedavra.' A blast of green light came flying out of the wand. James saw the man go down, his eyelids fluttered slightly, and his glasses went crashing to the ground beside him.  
His heart skipping a beat, James looked at the man on the floor as time began to slow. 'That's..he..' He was interrupted by the woman screaming.  
'No! How could you?!' She held the baby close to her. 'I'll protect him with my life! You ca-' The woman's eyes shifted and bore into Jame's.  
'Those eyes..' He reached out to her. 'Startling green..' Every moment, every second he had ever spent with Lily Evans came flooding back into his mind. 'LILY!' He tumbled towards her, over his own lifeless body, but was too late. Another jettison of green light had hit her square in the chest.  
'Harry....' The baby had been tightly in her arms, but as she fell he began to slip and landed on the bed. He was now crying, screaming.  
The high-pitched voice laughed.'And now. Time to prove our little prophecy to be true. So young, perhaps you could have been great.' James, imprisoned in his own mind, could not do anything to stop this. He yelled, he swore, he tried to cast spells. 'Avada Kedavra.' The green light came speeding out of the wand, but, unlike the other two, it was somewhat deflected. The baby, having stopping screaming, still had tears trickling down his face. This child, this baby, had been able to defy death itself. The wizard was hit by his own spell, and he went flying backwards into the wall. 'No.' James saw him mouth, as his body simply disappeared. Then it stopped.

"JAMES! JAMES!" James rolled over and opened his eyes. Remus and Peter were hovering over his bed.

"I'm up..w..w..what?"

"He's here. Was yelling something about you.." Sirius came walking up. James sat up. "Nothing. It was nothing." He put his hand on his face. "Just a nightmare." He looked back up to see Lily Evans standing behind his friends. "Those eyes.."


End file.
